Excelling with CLASS: Achieving High Language Modeling · Excelling with CLASS: Achieving High Language Modeling Language Sociogram A Language Sociogram is a recording and analysis

Excelling with CLASS: Achieving High Language Modeling

Region 9 Head Start Association San Jose City College, Milpitas CA

May 1, 2018

Outcomes: - Participants will learn how to assess teachers’ language modeling skills with both informal, on-the-spot

assessments and with planned classroom assessments. - Participants will learn the components of effective training on CLASS Language Modeling. - Participants will learn a framework for coaching and will learn specific coaching strategies. - Participants will learn a process for providing feedback to teachers on CLASS/

Agenda:

Teachers’ questions and the brain Assessing Training Coaching Feedback

Presenter: John Gunnarson, Consultant, Early Care and Education (415) 488-4097, [email protected]


Assessing

1. Strategies for on-the-spot assessment

▪ Storybooks

▪ Classroom objects

▪ Staff meetings

▪ Free Choice Time

▪ Outside Time

2. Strategies for classroom assessment

▪ Language Sample

▪ Language Sociogram

John Gunnarson 2018 [email protected] 2


Language Sample A coach or administrator can obtain a snapshot assessment of a teacher’s language with children using a Language Sample. During any activity in which a teacher is interacting with children, the coach or administrator records the teacher’s spoken language with children for a short period of time, typically 5-15 minutes. This language sample is then analyzed and turned into data using selected language categories.

Specific steps for conducting a Language Sample:

- Briefly meet with the teacher beforehand to let her know that you will be observing her and recording some of your observations. Set-up a time to meet after conducting the Language Sample to discuss with her the results.

- Select a time when the teacher is verbally interacting with children, such as during a meal or snack, small group time, outside time, or free choice/centers.

- Position yourself behind the teacher, ideally close enough to hear her interactions while also outside of her range of view.

- Write down the date and the time you are starting to record the teacher’s language.

- Record as much of the teacher’s spoken language with children as you can for 5-15 minutes. Record only what the teacher says. When you can’t hear her words or can’t write fast enough, indicate that your language sample is missing some statements by recording three dots: … If it is necessary to record information in addition to the teacher’s spoken words, record this information within brackets: [ ]

- Write down the time you stop recording the teacher’s language.

- Determine the language categories you will use to analyze the language sample. Possibilities include: - Statements - Questions - Statements - Praise - Orders/Commands - Open-ended Questions - Close-ended Questions

- Self Talk and Parallel Talk - Repetition and Extension - Other Statements - Orders/Commands - Praise - Open-ended Questions - Close-ended Questions

- Utterances in English - Utterances in Spanish

- Create a spreadsheet to tally each utterance under its corresponding category.

- Count the tally marks to determine the number of utterances in each category and the total utterances spoken.

- Calculate the percentage for each category.

- Meet with the teacher to share with her the results of the Language Sample. First provide her with specific, positive feedback on her interactions. Then, explain your process for recording the Language Sample, read back some of her exact words, and share your calculations of percentages for each category of language. Ask for her interpretation of the data and for her reflections. Discuss, and develop a plan of action for next steps.


Assessing Teachers’ Language Use with Children

Activity: Language Sample 1

Start: 1/18/2018, 8:33 am

“You like oatmeal? What flavor oatmeal did you eat? My kids always liked strawberry oatmeal… Do you like

strawberries? How about you? Do you like oatmeal? … Do you ever have it for breakfast at your house?

What’s your favorite kind of apple? I like green apples. You like red apples? What kind do you eat? You eat

red apples? How about you? Do you eat apples at home? Do you eat apples?

Rosa, do you eat apples at home? Miguel, do you eat apples? You think this apple is sour? I love sour

apples….

You’re not eating as much today as yesterday. Why not? You were sick? Are you feeling better today? Do

you want to eat some more then? … He’s hiding? You think he’s hiding in the classroom? Where do you

think he’s hiding? How are you feeling today? Are you better? You don’t feel good? Do you need to go

potty? Do you want to just lay down? You can go lay down if you want.”

End: 8:38 am

Statements Close-ended Questions Open-ended Questions

Tally: Number: Total number of utterances: Percentage: John Gunnarson 2018 [email protected] 4

Activity: Language Sample 2

Start: 1/19/2018, 12:04 pm

“Put your plates in front of you. Thank you. Fix your tummy to the table please. Pull your plate in front of

you. Whose name starts with A-D-R-I-A-N? Good! Whose name starts with M-I-G-U-E-L? Yes, good job!

[Repeats with remaining 4 children]

A carrot? What food friend is that? What’s her name? Good! Karen Carrot! Good. Who’s this friend?

Which friend is she? Holly Hamburger! Yes, good job! … What is in here? Yes… meatballs! You’d like some

meatballs? Good! Guess what are these? It’s Mr. Sweet Potato Head! Let’s start with 1 meatball.

Everybody take one meatball. They’re like meatloaf, but they make them into balls instead.

Miguel, say meatball. Meatball. M-m-m-e-e-a-a-a-t-t-t. How’s the meatballs? Did you try it? … Do you have

the book about Spiderman ? How’s the book? What happened to Superman? Oh, no! Oh… he’s a bat? Is that

how he got superman? They can fly?” Wonder woman can fly? She’s strong, huh? You have muscles like

wonder woman? … Mona, is lunch good? You like the meatballs, I see. Eat your meat. Mmmmeat. Are you all

done? Say all done. Allll……. done. Good! …

Finish up so we can brush our teeth. Two minutes and lunch is going to be over. Sit in your chair. We’re going

to brush our teeth… I can’t hear my friends over here. You are too loud. Toothbrushes up so Miss Christie

knows you’re ready. OK? Good. Brush your teeth. Roll your toothbrush up like a burrito. Stand up so we

can wash our table and wash our chairs. We have to spray it first. When you are finished washing your table

and your chair, you may throw your napkin away and join our friends at carpet.”

End: 12:18 pm

Statements Praise Orders/Commands Close-ended Questions Open-ended Questions

Tally: Number: Total number of utterances: Percentage:



Language Sociogram

A Language Sociogram is a recording and analysis of who a teacher interacts with during a given period of time. Specific steps for conducting a Language Sociogram are: - Briefly meet with the teacher beforehand to let her know that you will be observing her and recording your observations. Set-up a time to meet after conducting the Language Sociogram to discuss with her the results.

- Select a time when the teacher is verbally interacting with a fixed group of children, such as during small group time or during a meal or snack.

- Position yourself behind the teacher, ideally outside of her range of view.

- Draw a quick sketch of the table or setting, indicating where the teacher and each child is sitting. Use specific names. Jose Teacher Diego Osvaldo Mariana Sierra Eli Emma Whole Group: - Write down the date and the time when you are starting to record the teacher’s interactions.

- Use tally marks to record all of the teacher’s interactions. If she speaks to the entire group of children, record a tally mark next to “Whole Group.” When she speaks to Diego, record a tally mark next to his name. When she speaks to Mariana, record a tally mark next to her name. Record each utterance as one tally mark.

- Write down the time when you stop recording the teacher’s interactions.

- Count the tally marks to determine the total number of utterances, the number of utterances spoken to each child, and number of utterances to the whole group.

- Calculate the percentage of utterances to each child and to the whole group.

- Meet with the teacher to share with her the results of the Language Sociogram. First provide her with specific, positive feedback on her interactions. Then, explain your process and share with her the number of interactions she had with each child and with the whole group and the percentages of her interactions with each child. Ask for her interpretation of the data and for her reflections. Discuss, and consider each child’s level of language. Develop a plan of action for next steps.



Training

1. In-depth Content

▪ 1.5-4 hours of training per indicator

▪ Teams and administrators attend together

2. Practice and Application

▪ Multiple opportunities for teachers to practice, apply, and problem-solve how they will implement the indicator in their classrooms

▪ Role plays with feedback

▪ Practice with classroom materials

▪ Planning

3. Practicum Assignment

▪ Immediate application in the classroom

▪ Concrete and specific

▪ Provide materials to practice with during the workshop and to use in the classroom.



Coaching

1. Check for understanding: ▪ Observe and provide feedback ▪ Read and discuss an article ▪ View and discuss a video clip ▪ Observe another teacher and debrief ▪ Problem-solve implementation issues

2. Provide resources: ▪ Resource books ▪ Storybooks ▪ Interesting objects ▪ Table prompt stands ▪ Wall chart ▪ Cards on rings

3. Use the coaching process: Prebrief Coach Debrief ▪ Prebrief: Meet with the teacher to discuss what coaching strategy you will be using,

what your role is, what her role is, how she should participate, and when you will debrief. Time range: 3-10 minutes.

▪ Coach: Perform the coaching strategy ---typically modeling, co-teaching, or

shadowing. If the coaching session is not working, stop and try to get the teacher back on track. If you are unable to do this, discuss the problem at your debriefing session. Time range: 10-20 minutes.

▪ Debrief: Meet with the teacher on the same day to discuss the coaching session. First

provide the teacher with specific, positive feedback on her performance. Next, ask for her observations, then build off of what she noticed and weave in your other observations. End the debriefing session by deciding on specific next steps. Time range: 15-45 minutes.


4. Use an intentional coaching strategy: ▪ Model: The teacher observes the coach or supervisor using the targeted CLASS

indicator with children and takes notes on the specific strategies used by the coach. Debrief to discuss and task-analyze how the coach implemented the targeted CLASS indicator.

▪ Co-teach: The teacher and the coach work side-by-by with children. The coach may

model talking with children using the targeted indicator and then pass off to the teacher responsibility for continuing. This cycle is repeated several times, with the coach providing quick feedback and guidance as needed. Using a prop such as a marker can help to clearly establish whether the teacher or the coach is teaching at any given moment. Follow-up with a debrief and discussion on what worked and did not work during the co-teaching session.

▪ Shadow: The coach positions herself immediately behind the teacher and provides on-

the-spot coaching, giving encouragement and suggesting specific strategies as the teacher works with children using the targeted CLASS indicator. Follow-up with a debrief and discussion on what worked and did not work during the shadowing session.

▪ Observe and provide feedback: The coach observes the teacher using a running

record or a language sample format, then meets with the teacher to debrief and to develop a next steps action plan.

▪ Implement with structured activities: Oftentimes a teacher can be successful in

her first attempts to implement a targeted CLASS indicator within the structure of a predefined, structured activity. If the teacher is focusing on Analysis and Reasoning, for example, she and the coach together develop Analysis and Reasoning questions to ask when reading The Hungry Caterpillar. The teacher then writes each question on a Post-It note, attaches each note to the page where she will ask that question, and then reads the book to her children in a small group, asking the predetermined Analysis and Reasoning questions.

▪ Problem-solve implementation issues: The teacher, coach, and/or supervisor

meet to discuss issues that may prevent the teacher from implementing the targeted CLASS indicator. These might include the daily routine, the curriculum, team issues, the classroom culture, relationships, or other issues.



Feedback

1. Protocol for reflective feedback:

▪ Teacher’s reflections ▪ Your feedback ▪ Develop an action plan and clarify next steps

2. Protocol for feedback on CLASS:

▪ Brief small talk ▪ State purpose, process, and ▪ Identify positive scores ▪ Identify low scores ▪ Teacher’s reflections ▪ Your feedback ▪ Develop and action plan and clarify next steps

3. Action Planning:

▪ Task ▪ Person responsible ▪ Target date


Protocol for Feedback on CLASS

Schedule a dedicated time for the reflective supervision meeting. Typically, 45-60 minutes or more will be needed to discuss the CLASS scores and develop an action plan. Use the following process, making adaptations as needed:

1. Brief small talk. (1-2 min) Begin with very brief off-task conversation to put the teacher at ease. 2. State purpose, process, and outcomes. (2-3 min) - Clearly state the purpose of the meeting. “The purpose of this meeting is for us to discuss your CLASS scores and to develop a plan to further develop your skills.” - State what the process of the meeting will be. “We will first identify your strengths and areas needing development, discuss this, and then develop a written action plan.” - State the outcomes. “Out of this meeting we will have an action plan that identifies the steps for developing your teaching skills in one or more areas. You, I, and your supervisor will all receive hard copies of this plan in order to clearly understand what each of us needs to do.” 3. Identify positive scores. (3-4 min) Share with the teacher her highest scores. Cite specific observations from the CLASS Report and add your personal observations, if possible. 4. Identify dimension(s) with low scores. (1-2 min) Share with the teacher her scores that are below the thresholds of: - Emotional Support: 3 or below (Low), or 3 or higher in Negative Climate (Mid to High) - Classroom Organization: 3 or below (Low) - Instructional Support: 3 or below (Low) Refrain from discussing all the low scores. Instead, identify one or two indicators within a dimension with low scores that the teacher could focus on improving. 5. Teacher’s reflections: (5-10 min) Ask the teacher to reflect on her skills for the one or two indicators you have identified to possibly focus on improving. Use analysis and reasoning questions to facilitate a deeper reflection. “What kinds of questions do you typically ask during mealtime? Why?” “Why do you think it’s hard for you to come up with open-ended questions?” “What do you think children learn when they answer an open-ended question?” “What do you think they learn when they answer a close-ended question?” “Why do you think it’s important for teachers to ask more open-ended questions and fewer close-ended questions?” “How are open-ended and close-ended questions different?” “Who are the highly verbal children in your class that might respond to an open-ended question?”


6. Your feedback: (5-10 min) Use the CLASS Report to provide feedback that builds off of the teacher’s reflections. Share with the teacher specific feedback and examples cited in the CLASS report. As much as possible, use what the teacher just said in her reflections as the basis for providing more information. 7. Develop an action plan. (15-30 min) Discuss and record on an action plan form how the teacher will develop her skills in order to fully support children using this CLASS dimension or indicator. Tasks: Identify the specific strategies and steps that will support the teacher to meet. Examples:

• Read the appropriate CLASS Instructional Support handout. After reading, the teacher discusses the handout with her coach or supervisor.

• View and discuss a video that demonstrates the targeted CLASS indicator.

• Observe another skilled teacher who intentionally uses the targeted CLASS indicator. Discuss.

• Read the high, low, and mid-range descriptions of the targeted CLASS indicator in the CLASS Pre-K Manual. After reading, the teacher discusses and analyzes the descriptions with her coach or supervisor.

• Coach observes the teacher and provides feedback on her performance.

• Coach conducts a language sample.

• Coach and teacher problem-solve implementation issues.

• Coach provides modeling, co-teaching, shadowing, and/or consultation with feedback.

• Teacher implements indicator using planned, structure activities.

• Teacher implements indicator with on-the-spot interactions. Person Responsible: Identify who has responsibility for implementing each specific plan of action. Target Date: Identify the date by which each task is to be completed by. 8. Clarify next steps. (2-4 min) Give the teacher a copy of the Action Plan form, or tell her when you will email a copy to her. Read aloud the action plan, and clarify what she needs to do first.


Protocol for the Feedback on CLASS

1. Brief small talk. 2. State purpose, process, and outcomes. 3. Identify positive scores. Reinforce with your observations.

4. Identify low scores. 5. Teacher’s reflections: Ask teacher to reflect on her skills in this

dimension. Use analysis and reasoning questions to facilitate a deeper reflection.

6. Your feedback: Use the CLASS Report to provide feedback that builds

off of the teacher’s reflections. 7. Develop an action plan. 8. Clarify next steps.


mailto:[email protected]

Action Plan

Teacher: Marie Dupont , Southside Head Start Date: _Jan 10, 2018__________ Goal: Marie will develop an in-depth understanding of open-ended questions, develop skills to generate and use open-ended questions, and will consistently ask open-ended questions to highly verbal children

Task Person

Responsible

Target Date

Marie will read the CLASS handout on Open-ended

questions by Jan 15.

Discuss with Monique Jan 16, 1:00-2:00.

Marie

Monique

Jan 16

Marie will read the CLASS Pre-K Manual paragraphs on

open-ended questions, pg 76-79 by Jan 18.

Discuss with Monique Jan 18, 1:00-200.

Marie

Monique

Jan 18

Marie will view the video clip “Open-ended Questions”

on “Now You’re Talking” video by Jan 21, writing down

all open-ended questions from video.

Discuss with Monique on Jan 22, 1:00-200.

Marie,

Monique

Jan 22

Marie and Monique will observe Rosa in Room 3 lead a

discussion with children on “What’s alive?” on Jan 23,

9:15 am. Joan will provide sub.

Follow up debrief and discussion with Marie and

Monique on Jan 23, 1:00-2:00.

Marie

Monique

Rosa

Joan

Jan 23

Marie will observe Monique model a discussion with

children on “friends” on Jan 24, 10:00 am. Follow up

debrief and discussion on Jan 24, 1:00-1:30

Marie

Monique

Jan 24

Marie and Monique will plan and develop open ended

questions for Marie to ask when reading a storybook,

Jan 24 1:30-2:00

Marie

Monique

Jan 24

Monique will read a storybook to children asking pre-

planned questions, Jan 25, 9:45 am. Monique will

observe. Debrief Jan 25, 1:00-1:30

Marie

Monique

Jan 25

Marie and Monique will plan and develop open-

ended questions for a small group discussion with

children on “friends,” Jan 25, 1:30-2:00

Marie

Monique

Jan 25

Marie and Monique will co-teach a small group

discussion with children on “friends,” Jan 26, 10:00.

Debrief Jan 26, 1:00-1:30

Marie

Monique

Jan 26

Marie and Monique will plan and develop open-

ended questions for a small group discussion with

children on “What’s alive?,” Jan 26, 1:30-2:00

Marie

Monique

Jan 26

Marie and Monique will co-teach a small group

discussion with children on “What’s alive,” Jan 29,

10:00.

Debrief Jan 29, 1:00-1:30

Marie

Monique

Jan 29

Marie and Joan will plan open-ended questions for

Marie to ask about five different fingerplays, Jan 30,

1:00-2:00

Marie

Joan

Jan 30

Marie will ask one open-ended question after every

fingerplay she leads with children, Feb 1-5.

Marie Feb 5

Marie and Joan will plan open-ended questions for

Marie to ask about five different storybooks, Feb 7,

1:00-2:00

Marie

Joan

Feb 7

Marie will ask one open-ended question after every

storybook she reads with children, Feb 8-11

Marie Feb 11

Monique will observe and conduct a language sample

on Marie’s language use in the classroom on Feb 14,

time to be determined.

Analysis and discussion with Marie and Monique, exact

time to be determined.

Marie

Monique

Feb 14

Marie will ask open-ended questions during storytime,

when leading a fingerplay, during a small group

discussion on a topic to be determined, and during

meal times every day beginning Feb 21.

Monique will observe Marie on Feb 28, 10:00-1200.

Debrief and discuss, Feb 28, 1:00-2:00, with Marie, Joan,

and Monique

Marie

Monique

Joan

Feb 28

Joan will observe Marie’s use of open-ended questions

during storytime, meal times, fingerplays, and small

group on March 4.

Debrief and discuss, March 4, 1:00-2:00, with Marie and

Joan.

Marie

Joan

March 4

Develop a new plan of action to further develop

Marie’s skills using open-ended questions, if needed.

Marie

Monique

Joan

March 10

Dorothy will assess Marie and Classroom 2 teachers

using CLASS by March 30, 2016.

Dorothy March 30

Documents

Excelling with CLASS: Achieving High Language Modeling · Excelling with CLASS: Achieving High Language Modeling Language Sociogram A Language Sociogram is a recording and analysis